.'P 


^ AN  ADDRESS 

eo'roeS). 


■ f‘f 


2^ 


■^)7 

083. 


PRESBYTERIANS  OF  KENTUCKY, 


PROPOSING  A PLAN 


FOR  THE 


INSTRUCTION  AND  EMANCIPATION 


THEIR  SLAVES. 


BY  A COMMITTEE  OF  THE  SYNOD  OF  KENTUCKY. 


I 


NEWBURYPORT: 

PUBLISHED  BY  CHARLES  WHIPPLE. 


1836. 


For  tlie  purpose  of  promoting  harmony  and  concert  of  action  on 
this  important  subject,  the  Synod  do 


Resolve,  That  a committee  of  ten  be  appointed  to  consist  of  an 
^ual  number  of  ministers  and  elders,  whose  business  it  shall  be  to 
ingest  and  prepare  a plan  for  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  of 
our'slaves,  and  for  their  future  emancipation,  and  to  report  such  plan 


to  the  several  presb}itenes  within 
and  approval. 

John  Brown,  Esq. 

Thomas  P.  Smith,  Esq. 
Charles  Cunningham,  Esq. 
James  K.  Burch, 

Nathan  J.  Hall, 


our  bounds,  for  their  consideration 

John  Green,  Esq. 

J.  R.  Alexander,  Esq. 

Rev.  Wm.  L.  Breckenridce, 
Robert  Stewart, 

John  C.  Young, 

Committee. 


The  committee  would  respectfully  request  every  preacher  to  read 
this  address  to  his  congregation  on  some  Sabbath.  The  object  of 
the  Synod  in  appointing  a committee  to  prepare  a plan,  is  stated  to  be 
to  “ promote  harmony  and  concert  of  action  on  this  important  sub- 
ject;” and  this  can  only  be  effected  by  presenting  the  plan  with  the 
reasons  urging  its  adoption,  before  every  member  of  our  Church. 


ADDRESS. 


Dear  Brethren : — 

The  will  of  Synod  has  made  it  our  duty  to  lay  before 
you  “ a plan  for  the  moral  and  religious  instruction,  as 
well  as  for  the  future  emancipation,  of  the  slaves”  under 
your  care.  We  feel  the  responsibility  and  difTiculty  of  the 
duty  to  which  the  church  has  called  us,  yet  the  character 
of  those  whom  we  address  strongly  encourages  us  to  hope 
that  labor  will  not  be  in  vain.  You  profess  to  bo  governed 
by  the  principles  and  precepts  of  a lioly  religion  ; you  re- 
cognise the  fact  that  you  have  yourselves  “been  made 
free”  by  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  ; and  you  believe 
that  you  have  been  imbued  with  a portion  of  the  same 
spirit  whicli  was  in  “ Him  who,  though  he  was  rich,  yet 
for  our  sakcs  became  poor.”  When  we  point  out  to  such 
persons  their  duty,  and  call  upon  them  to  fulfil  it,  our  ap- 
peal  cannot  be  altogether  fruitless.  But  we  have  a still 
stronger  ground  of  our  encouragement,  in  our  firm  con- 
viction that  the  cause  which  we  advocate  is  the  cause 
of  God,  and  that  his  assistance  will  make  it  finally  prevail. 
May  He  “ who  hears  tlie  cry  of  the  poor  and  needy,”  and 
who  has  commanded  to  let  the  “ oppre.ssed  go  free,”  give 
to  each  one  of  us  wisdom  to  know  our  duty,  and  strength 
to  fulfil  it. 

VV'^e  earnestly  entreat  you,  brethren,  to  receive  our  com- 
munication in  the  same  spirit  of  kindness  in  which  it  is 
made;  and  permit  neither  prejudice  nor  interest  to  close 
your  minds  against  the  reception  of  truth,  or  steel  your 
hearts  against  the  convictions  of  conscience.  Very  soon 
it  will  be  a matter  of  no  moment  whether  we  have  had 
large  or  small  possessions  on  the  earth  ; but  it  will  be  ®f 
infinite  importance  whether  or  not  we  have  conscientiously 
sought  out  the  will  of  God  and  done  it. 

We  all  admit  that  the  system  of  slavery,  which  exists 
among  us,  is  not  right.  Why,  then,  do  we  assist  in  perpe- 


4 


ADDRESS. 


tuating  it  ? Why  do  we  make  no  serious  efforts  to  termi- 
nate it  ? Is  it  not  because  our  perception  of  its  sinfulness 
is  very  feeble  and  indistinct,  while  our  perception  of  the 
difficulties  of  instructing  and  emancipating  our  slaves  is 
strong  and  clear?  As  long  as  we  believe  that  slavery,  as 
it  exists  among  us,  is  a light  evil  in  the  sight  of  God,  so 
long  will  we  feel  inclined  to  pronounce  every  plan  that 
can  be  devised  for  its  termination,  inexpedient  or  im- 
practicable. Before,  then,  we  unfold  our  plan,  we  wish 
to  examine  the  system,  and  try  it  by  the  principles  which 
religion  teaches.  If  it  shall  not  be  thus  proved  to  be 
an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  a just  and  holy  God,  we 
shall  not  solicit  your  concurrence  in  any  plan  for  its  abo- 
lition. But  if,  when  fairly  examined,  it  shall  be  seen  to 
be  a thing  which  God  abhors,  we  may  surely  expect  that 
no  trifling  amount  of  trouble  or  loss  will  deter  you  from 
lending  your  eflbrts  to  its  extermination. 

Slavery  is  not  the  same  all  the  world  over ; and  to  as- 
certain its  character  in  any  particular  state  or  country, 
we  must  examine  the  constituents  and  effects  of  the  kind 
of  slavery  tehicJi  there  exists.  The  system  as  it  exists 
among  us,  and  is  constituted  by  our  laws,  consists  of  three 
distinct  parts — a deprivation  of  the  right  of  j^roperty,  a 
deprivation  of  personal  liberty,  and  a deprivation  of  jjerson- 
al  security.  In  all  its  parts  it  is,  manifestly,  a violation  of 
the  laws  of  God,  as  revealed  by  the  light  of  nature,  as  well 
as  the  light  of  revelation. 

1st.  A part  of  our  system  of  slavery  consists  in  depriving 
human  beings  of  the  right  to  acquire  and  hold  property. 
Does  it  need  any  proof  to  show  that  God  has  given  to  all 
human  beings  a right  to  the  proceeds  of  their  own  labor? 
The  heathen  acknowledge  it — every  man  feels  it.  The 
Bible  is  full  of  denunciations  against  those  who  withhold 
from  others  the  fruits  of  their  exertions.  “ Wo  unto  him 
that  buildeth  his  house  by  unrighteousness,  and  his  cham- 
bers by  wrong  ; that  useth  his  neighbor’s  service  without 
wages,  and  giveth  him  not  for  his  work.”*  Does  an  act 
which  is  wrong,  when  done  once  and  toward  one  individ- 
ual,  become  right  because  it  is  practised  daily  and  hourly, 
and  towards  thousands  ? Does  the  just  and  holy  One  frown 

* Jeremiah,  xxii,  13.  See  also  James,  v,  4 ; Lev.  xix,  13  ; Deut.  xxiv,  14, 15 


ADDRESS. 


5 


the  less  upon  injustice,  because  it  is  systematically  prac- 
tisecl,  and  is  sanctioned  by  the  laws  of  the  land  ? If  the 
chicanery  of  law  should  enable  us  to  escape  the  payment 
of  our  debts,  or  if  a human  legislature  should  discharge 
us  from  our  obligations  to  our  creditors,  could  we,  without 
deep  guilt,  withhold  from  our  neighbors  that  which  is  their 
due  ? No : we  all  recognise  the  principle,  that  the  laws 
of  the  God  of  nature  can  never  be  replaced  by  any  legis- 
lature under  heaven.  These  laws  will  endure,  when  the 
statutes  of  earth  shall  have  crumbled  with  the  parchments 
on  which  they  are  enrolled — and  by  these  laws  we  know 
that  we  must  be  judged,  in  the  day  in  which  the  destinies 
of  our  souls  shall  be  determined. 

2d.  The  deprivation  of  personal  liberty  forms  another 
part  of  our  system  of  slavery.  Not  only  has  the  slave  no 
right  to  his  wife  and  children,  he  has  no  right  even  to 
himself.  His  very  body,  his  muscles,  his  bones,  his  flesh, 
are  all  the  property  of  another.  The  movements  of  his 
limbs  are  regulated  by  the  will  of  a master.  He  may  be 
sold,  like  a beast  of  the  field — ho  may  be  transported,  in 
chains,  like  a felon.  Was  the  blood  of  our  Revolution 
shod  to  establish  a false  principle,  when  it  was  poured  out 
in  defence  of  the  assertion,  that  “ all  men  are  created 
equal  that  “ they  are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with 
certain  inalienable  rights;  that  among  these  are  life,  lib- 
erty, and  the  pursuit  of  happiness?”  If  it  be  a violation 
of  tlie  rights  of  nature  to  deprive  men  of  their  political 
freedom,  the  injustice  is  surely  much  more  flagrant  when 
we  rob  them  of  personal  liberty.  The  condition  of  a sub- 
ject  is  enviable  compared  with  the  condition  of  a slave. 
We  are  shocked  at  the  despotism  e.xercised  over  the  Poles. 
But  theirs  is  a political  yoke,  and  is  light  compared  with 
the  heavy  pci-sonal  yoke  that  bows  down  the  two  millions 
of  our  colored  countrymen.  Does  European  injustice 
lose  its  foul  character,  when  practised  with  aggravations 
in  America  ? 

Still  further,  the  deprivation  of  personal  liberty  is  so 
complete  that  it  destroys  the  rights  of  conscience.  Our 
system,  as  established  by  law,  arms  the  master  with  power 
to  prevent  his  slave  from  worshipping  God  according  to 
the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience.  The  owner  of  human 

1* 


6 


ADDRESS. 


beings  among  us  may  legally  restrain  them  from  assem- 
bling  to  hear  the  instructions  of  divine  truth,  or  even  from 
ever  uniting  their  hearts  and  voices  in  social  prayer  and 
praise  to  Him  who  created  them.  God  alone  is  Lord 
over  the  conscience.  Yet  our  system,  defrauding  alike 
our  Creator  and  our  slaves,  confers  upon  men  this  pre- 
rogative of  Deity.  Argument  is  unnecessary,  to  show 
the  guilt  and  madness  of  such  a system.  And  do  we  not 
participate  in  its  criminality,  if  we  uphold  it? 

3d.  The  deprivation  of  personal  security  is  the  renuiin- 
ing  constituent  of  our  system  of  slavery.  The  time  was, 
in  our  own  as  well  as  in  other  countries,  when  even  the 
life  of  the  slave  was  absolutely  in  the  hands  of  the  master. 
It  is  not  so  now  among  us.  The  life  of  a bondman  can- 
not be  taken  with  impunity.  But  the  law  extends  its  pro- 
tection no  further.  Cruelty  may  be  carried  to  any  extent, 
provided  life  be  spared.  Mangling,  imprisonment,  starva- 
tion, every  species  of  torture,  may  be  inflicted  upon  him, 
and  he  has  no  redress.  But,  not  content  with  thus  laying 
the  body  of  the  slave  defenceless  at  the  foot  of  the  mas- 
ter,  our  system  proceeds  still  further,  and  strips  him  in  a 
great  measure  of  all  protection  against  the  inhumanity  of 
any  other  white  man  who  may  choose  to  maltreat  him. 
The  laws  prohibit  the  evidence  of  a slave  against  a white 
man  from  being  received  in  a court  of  justice.  So  that 
wantonness  and  cruelty  may  be  exercised  by  any  man 
with  impunity,  upon  these  unfortunate  people,  provided 
none  witness  it  but  those  of  their  own  color.  In  describ- 
ing such  a condition,  we  may  well  adopt  the  language  of 
sacred  writ:  “Judgment  is  turned  away  backward,  and 
justice  standetli  afar  ofl';  for  truth  is  fallen  in  the  street, 
and  equity  cannot  enter.  .\nd  the  Lord  saw  it,  and  it 
displeased  him  that  there  was  no  judgment.” 

Such  is  the  essential  character  of  our  slavery.  With- 
out any  crime  on  the  part  of  its  unfortunate  subjects,  they 
are  deprived  for  life,  and  their  posterity  after  them,  of  the 
right  to  property,  of  the  right  to  liberty,  and  of  the  right 
to  personal  security.  These  odious  features  are  not  the 
excrescences  upon  the  system — they  are  the  system  itself 
— they  are  its  essential  constituent  parts.  And  can  any 
man  believe  that  such  a thing  as  this  is  not  sinful — that  it 


ADDRESS.  7 

is  not  hated  by  God — and  ought  not  to  be  abhorred  and 
abolished  by  man  ? 

But  there  are  certain  effects,  springing  naturally  and 
necessarily  out  of  such  a system,  which  must  also  be  con- 
sidered in  forming  a proper  estimate  of  its  character. 

1.  Its  most  striking  effect  is,  to  deprave  and  degrade  its 
subjects  by  removing  from  them  the  strongest  natural  checks 
to  human  corruption.  As  there  are  certain  laws  impressed 
upon  the  elements,  by  which  God  works  to  preserve  the 
beauty  and  order  of  the  material  creation ; so  there  are 
certain  principles  of  human  nature,  by  which  he  works  to 
save  the  moral  world  from  ruin.  These  principles  ope- 
rate on  every  man  in  his  natural  condition  of  freedom — 
restraining  his  vicious  propensities,  and  regulating  his  de- 
portment. The  fires  of  innate  depravity,  which,  if  per- 
mitted to  bur.st  forth,  would  destroy  the  individual  and 
desolate  society,  are  thus,  measurably,  repressed  ; and 
the  decencies  and  enjoyments  of  life  are  preserved.  The 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  are  thus  seen  in  implanting 
in  man  a sense  of  character,  a desire  for  property,  a love 
for  distinction,  a thirst  for  power,  and  a zeal  for  family 
advancement.  All  these  feelings,  working  in  the  mind  of 
individuals,  (though  not  unmi.xed  with  evil,)  combine  to 
promote  their  own  happiness,  and  the  welfare  of  commu- 
nities ; and  they  are  inferior  in  the  good  which  they  pro- 
duce, only  to  those  high  religious  principles  which  consti- 
tute the  image  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man.  nie  presence 
of  the.se  principles  only  can  compensate  for  their  absence. 
Whenever,  then,  these  natural  feelings  are  crushed  or 
eradicated  in  any  human  being,  he  is  stripped  of  the 
nobler  attributes  of  humanity,  and  is  degraded  into  a 
creature  of  mere  appetite  and  passion.  His  sensuality  is 
the  only  cord  by  which  you  can  draw  him.  Ilis  hopes 
and  fears  all  concentrate  upon  the  objects  of  his  appetites. 
He  sinks  far  down  toward  a level  with  the  beast  of  the 
field,  and  can  be  moved  to  action  only  by  such  appeals  as 
influence  the  lunatic  and  the  brute.  This  is  the  condition 
to  which  slavery  reduces  the  great  mass  of  those  who 
wear  its  brutalizing  yoke.  Its  effects  upon  their  souls  are 
far  worse  than  its  effects  upon  their  bodies.  Character, 
property,  destination,  power,  and  family  respectability. 


8 


ADDRESS. 


are  all  withdrawn  from  the  reach  of  the  slave.  No  object 
is  presented  to  excite  and  cultivate  those  higher  feelings, 
whose  exercise  would  repress  his  passions  and  regulate 
his  appetites.  Thus  slavery  deranges  and  ruins  the  moral 
machinery  of  man — it  cuts  the  sinews  of  tlie  soul — it 
extracts  from  human  natui-e  the  salt  that  purifies  and 
preserves  it,  and  leaves  it  a corrupting  mass  of  appetite 
and  passion. 

2.  It  dooms  thousands  of  human  beings  to  hopeless  igno~ 
ranee.  The  acquisition  of  knowledge  requires  exertion ; 
and  the  man  who  is  to  continue  through  life  in  bondage, 
has  no  strong  motive  of  interest  to  induce  such  exertion ; 
for  knowledge  is  not  valuable  to  him,  as  to  one  who  eats 
the  fruits  of  his  own  labors.  The  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge  requires  also  facilities  of  books,  teachers,  and  time, 
which  can  be  only  adequately  furnislied  by  masters ; and 
those  wlio  desire  to  perpetuate  slavery  will  never  furnish 
these  facilities.  If  slaves  are  educated,  it  must  involve 
some  outlay  on  the  part  of  the  master.  And  what 
reliance  for  such  a sacrifice  can  be  placed  on  the  gene- 
rosity and  virtue  of  one,  who  looks  on  them  as  his  pro- 
perty, and  who  has  been  trained  to  consider  every  dollar 
expended  on  them  as  lost,  unless  it  contributes  to  increase 
their  capacity  for  yielding  him  valuable  service  ? He 
will  have  them  taught  to  work,  and  will  ordinarily  feed 
and  clothe  them  so  as  to  enable  them  to  perform  their 
work  to  advantage.  But  more  than  this,  it  is  inconsistent 
with  our  knowledge  of  human  nature  to  expect  that  he 
will  do  for  them.  The  present  state  of  instruction  among 
this  race^answers  exactly  to  what  we  might  thus  naturally 
anticipate*.  Throughout  our  whole  land,  so  far  as  we  can 
learn,  there  is  but  one  school  in  which,  during  the  week, 
slaves  can  be  taught.  The  light  of  three  or  four  Sabbath 
schools  is  seen,  glimmering  through  the  darkness  that 
covers  the  black  population  of  a whole  state.  Here  and 
there  a family  is  found,  where  humanity  and  religion 
impel  the  master,  mistress,  or  children,  to  the  laborious 
task  of  private  instruction.  Great  honor  is  due  to  those 
engaged  in  this  philanthropic  and  sell-denying  course ; 
and  their  reward  shall  be  received  in  the  day  when  even 
a cup  of  cold  water,  given  from  Christian  motives,  shall 


ADDRESS. 


9 


secure  a recompense.  But,  after  all,  what  is  the  utmost 
amount  of  instruction  given  to  slaves  ? Those  who  enjoy 
the  most  of  it,  are  fed  with  but  the  crumbs  of  knowledge 
which  fall  from  their  master’s  table — they  are  clothed 
v/ith  the  mere  shreds  and  tatters  of  learning. 

Nor  is  it  to  be  expected  that  this  state  of  things  will 
become  better,  unless  it  is  determined  that  slavery  shall 
cease.  The  impression  is  almost  universal,  that  intel- 
lectual elevation  unfits  men  for  servitude,  and  renders  it 
impossible  to  retain  them  in  this  condition.  This  impres- 
sion is  unquestionably  correct.  The  weakness  and  igno- 
rance of  their  victims  is  the  only  safe  foundation  on  which 
injustice  and  oppression  can  rest.  And  the  effort  to  keep 
in  bondage  men  to  whom  knowledge  has  imparted  power, 
would  be  like  the  insane  attempt  of  the  Persian  tyrant,  to 
chain  the  waves  of  the  sea,  and  whip  its  boisterous  waters 
into  submission.  We  may  as  soon  expect  to  fetter  the 
winds,  seal  up  the  clouds,  or  extinguish  the  fires  of  the 
volcano,  as  to  prevent  enlightened  minds  from  recovering 
their  natural  condition  of  freedom.  Hence,  in  some  of 
our  states,  laws  have  been  enacted,  prohibiting,  under 
severe  penalties,  the  instruction  of  the  blacks ; and  even 
where  such  laws  do  not  exist,  there  are  formidable  num- 
bers who  oppose,  with  deep  hostility,  every  effort  to 
enlighten  the  mind  of  the  negro.  These  men  arc  deter- 
mined that  slavery  shall  be  perpetuated  ; and  they  know 
that  their  universal  education  must  be  followed  by  their 
universal  emancipation.  They  are  then  acting  wisely, 
according  to  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  when  they  deny 
education  to  slaves — they  arc  adopting  a measure  ne- 
cessary to  secure  their  determined  purpose.  It  is,  how- 
ever,  policy  akin  to  that  which  once  induced  the  ruffian 
violators  of  female  chastity  to  cut  out  the  tongue,  and 
cut  off  the  hands  of  their  victim,  to  disable  her  from 
uttering  or  writing  their  names.  She  had  to  be  maimed, 
or  they  would  be  brought  to  justice.  It  is  such  policy  as 
the  robber  exhibits,  who  silences  in  death  the  voices  that 
might  accuse  him,  and  buries  in  the  grave  the  witnesses 
of  his  crimes.  He  is  determined  to  pursue  his  occupation, 
and  his  safety  in  it  requires  that  he  should  not  indulge  in 
the  weakness  of  keeping  a conscience.  How  horrible 


10 


ADDRESS. 


must  be  that  system,  whicli,  in  the  opinion  of  even  its 
strongest  advocates,  demands  as  the  necessary  condition 
of  its  existence,  that  knowledge  sliould  be  shut  out  from 
the  minds  of  those  who  live  under  it — that  they  should  be 
reduced  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  level  of  brutes  or 
living  machines — that  the  powers  of  their  souls  should  be 
crushed ! Let  each  one  of  us  ask,  can  such  a system  be 
aided  or  even  tolerated  without  deep  criminality  1 

3.  It  deprives  its  subjects,  in  a great  measure,  of  the 
privileges  of  the  gospel.  You  may  be  startled  at  this 
statement,  and  feel  disposed  to  exclaim,  “our  slaves  are 
always  permitted  and  even  encouraged  to  attend  upon  the 
ordinances  of  worship.”  But  a candid  and  close  exami- 
nation will  show  the  correctness  of  our  charge.  The 
privileges  of  the  gospel,  as  enjoyed  by  the  white  popula- 
tion in  this  land,  consist  in  free  access  to  the  scriptures,  a 
regular  gospel  ministry,  and  domestic  means  of  grace. 
Neither  of  these  is,  to  any  extent  worth  naming,  enjoyed 
by  slaves,  as  a moment’s  consideration  will  satisfactorily 
show.  The  law,  as  it  is  here,  does  not  prevent  free  ac- 
cess to  the  scriptures — but  ignorance,  the  natural  result 
of  their  condition,  does.  The  Bible  is  before  them,  but 
it  is  to  them  a sealed  book.  “ The  light  shineth  in  the 
darkness,  but  the  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not.”  Like 
the  paralytic,  who  lay  for  years  by  the  pool  of  Bethesda, 
tlie  waters  of  healing  are  near  them,  but  no  kind  hand 
enables  them  to  try  their  efficacy.  Very  few  enjoy  the 
advantages  of  a regular  gospel  ministry.  They  are,  it  is 
true,  permitted  generally,  and  often  encouraged,  to  attend 
upon  the  ministrations  specially  designed  for  their  masters. 
But  the  instructions  communicated  on  such  occasions-  are 
above  the  level  of  their  capacities.  They  listen  as  to 
prophesyings  in  an  unknown  tongue.  The  preachers  of 
their  own  color  are  still  farther  from  ministering  to  their 
spiritual  wants — as  these  impart  to  them,  not  of  their 
knowledge,  but  their  ignorance : they  heat  their  animal 
feelings,  but  do  not  kindle  the  flame  of  intelligent  devo- 
tion. It  has  been  proposed  by  some  zealous  and  devoted 
friends  of  the  colored  I'ace,  to  supply  the  deficiency  of 
gospel  ministrations  among  them,  by  the  employment  of 
suitable  missionaries,  who  may  labor  exclusively  among 


ADDRESS. 


11 


them.  We  need  not  here  speculate  on  the  probable  re- 
sults of  such  a scheme  if  carried  into  effect,  in  a com- 
munity where  there  is  no  intention  to  emancipate ; for 
before  there  is  found  among  us  benevolence  enough  to 
adopt  and  execute  it,  on  a scale  large  enough  to  effect 
any  highly  valuable  purpose,  the  community  will  be 
already  ripe  for  measures  of  emancipation.  Such  a spirit 
of  kindness  towards  this  unfortunate  race  as  this  scheme 
presupposes,  can  never  co-exist  with  a determination  to 
keep  them  in  hopeless  bondage.  Further,  there  are  no 
houses  of  worship  exclusively  devoted  to  the  colored 
population.  The  galleries  of  our  own  churches,  which 
are  set  apart  to  their  use,  would  not  hold  the  tenth  part 
of  their  numbers — and  even  these  few  .seats  are,  in  gene- 
ral,  thinly  occupied.  So  that,  as  a body,  it  is  evident  that 
our  slaves  do  not  enjoy  the  ])ublic  ordinances  of  religion. 
Domestic  means  of  grace  are  still  more  rare  among  them. 
Here  and  there  a family  is  found,  whose  servants  are 
taught  to  bow  with  their  masters  around  the  fireside  altar. 
But  their  peculiarly  adverse  circumstances,  combined  with 
the  natural  alienation  of  their  hearts  from  God,  render 
abortive  the  slight  efforts  of  most  masters  to  induce  their 
attendance  on  the  domestic  services  of  religion.  And  if 
we  visit  the  cottages  of  those  slaves  who  live  apart  from 
their  masters,  where  do  we  find  them  reading  their  Bibles 
and  kneeling  together  before  a throne  of  mercy  ? Family 
ordinances  of  religion  are  almost  unknown  among  the 
blacks.  We  do  not  wish  to  exaggerate  the  description  of 
this  deplorable  religious  condition  of  our  colored  population. 
We  know  tliat  instances  of  true  piety  are  frequently  found 
among  them  ; but  these  instances  we  all  know  to  be 
awfully  disproportionate  to  their  numbers,  and  to  the 
extent  of  those  means  of  grace  which  exist  around  them. 
When  the  missionaries  of  the  cross  enter  a heathen  land, 
their  hope  of  fully  christianizing  it  rests  upon  the  fact 
that  they  can  array  and  bring  to  bear  upon  the  minds  of 
these  children  of  ignorance  and  sin,  all  those  varied  means 
which  God  has  appointed  for  the  reformation  of  man. 
But  while  the  system  of  slavery  continues  among  us, 
these  means  can  never  be  efficiently  and  fully  employed 
for  the  conversion  of  the  degraded  sons  of  Africa.  Yet 


12 


ADDRESS. 


“God  hath  made  them  of  one  blood”  with  ourselves; 
hath  provided  for  them  the  same  redemption ; hath  in  his 
providence  cast  souls  upon  our  care;  and  hath  clearly 
intimated  to  us  the  doom  of  him,  who  “ seeth  his  brother 
have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from 
him.”  If  by  our  example,  our  silence,  or  our  sloth,  we 
perpetuate  a system  which  paralyzes  our  hands  when  we 
attempt  to  convey  to  them  the  bread  of  life,  cind  which 
inevitably  consigns  the  great  mass  of  them  to  unending 
perdition,  can  we  be  guiltless  in  the  sight  of  Him  who 
hath  made  us  stewards  of  his  grace  ? 

4.  Th/s  system  licenses  and  produces  great  cruelty. 
The  law  places  the  whip  in  the  hands  of  the  m^lster,  and 
its  use,  provided  he  avoid  destroying  life,  is  limited  only 
by  his  own  pleasure.  Considering  the  absolute  power 
with  which  our  people  are  armed,  it  must  be  acknowledged 
that  the  treatment  of  their  dependants  is,  in  general,  sin- 
gularly humane.  Many  circumstances  operate  here  to 
mitigate  the  rigors  of  perpetual  servitude ; and  it  is  pro- 
bably the  fact,  that  no  body  of  slaves  have  been  ever 
better  fed,  better  clothed,  and  less  abused,  than  the  slaves 
of  Kentucky.  Still  they  have  no  security  .or  their  com- 
fort but  the  humanity  and  generosity  of  men,  wlio  have 
been  trained  to  regard  them  not  as  brethren,  but  as  mere 
property.  Humanity  and  generosity  are,  at  best,  poor 
guarantees  for  the  protection  of  those  who  cannot  assert 
their  rights,  and  over  whom  law  throws  no  protection. 
Our  own  condition  we  would  feel  to  be  wretched  indeed, 
if  no  law  secured  us  from  the  insults  and  maltreatment 
even  oj^our  equals.  But  superiority  naturally  begets  con- 
tempt ; and  contempt  generates  maltreatment,  for  check- 
ing  which  we  can  rely  not  on  virtue,  but  only  on  law. 
There  are,  in  our  land,  hundreds  of  thousands  clothed 
with  arbitrary  powers  over  those,  whom  they  are  educated 
to  regard  as  their  property,  as  the  instruments  of  their 
will,  as  creatures  beneath  their  sympathy,  devoid  of  all 
the  feelings  which  dignify  humanity,  and  but  one  remove 
above  cattle.  Is  it  not  certain  that  many  of  these  hun. 
dreds  of  thousands  will  inflict  outrages  on  their  despised 
dependants?  There  are  now,  in  our  whole  land,  two 
millions  of  human  beings,  exposed,  defenceless,  to  every 


